I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.  Philippians 4:13

A word of encouragement:  

At times life can feel like a desert, a boundless horizon of winding sand dunes.  The mountains of sand move to a fro according to the Wind.  You say to yourself, “if only I could control that Wind.”  The sun is scorching, it drains the life out of your parched soul.  All nature is against you, or so you think.  Every step sinks deeply into the shifting sands, your toes drag against the grains of despair.  Struggling through an endless desert you collapse and roll down the slippery slope of a snaking sand dune.  In the shadow of death, your flopping body rolls into a splash.  The cool water quenches your strength from the core.  Joy boils up from within as you shower in the oasis of strength.  After a refreshing cleansing, you take a confident step, ready to conquer the world.  As you dash across solid ground, you realize that the sand is not so slippery, but has transformed into cracked earth, formed by an eternity in the heat of the sun.  As the sun falls lower in the sky, thoughts of hope cross your mind as to what lies beyond the horizon.  Suddenly you stop, skid across the brittle earth because of your abrupt stop.  You wonder where the oasis came from and how you even got there; a blessing truly unexpected.  Stars peek-a-boo into the night sky and you set up a humble tent.  Honey and Bread make a great dinner.  Exhausted from your struggle, you plop down onto a camel-skin blanket.  Head pointed to the heavens, the stars wink intimately at you and you feel a cool, night breeze run over your bare legs.  A voice out of the heavens whispers to you in the silence of the desert, “I am here.”  The voice is so familiar, yet unknown … “and I love you dearly.”  As the whisper fades, so does the world for tired eyes are closing.  Free-falling in a world of possibilities the comfort of the relaxation is the most memorable of dreams.  

The sun rises and gently brushes over your eyes.  Expecting to see your camp, your eyes open to your ordinary room, your familiar bed, and your home sweet home.  Rising out of bed, you feel different; your shoulders fall back, you feel and inch taller, and anything that comes your way feels small.  

The world is yours … because He made it for you.